God the Father: Receiver of lost sons

One of the most famous parables in the Bible is that of the prodigal son in Luke 15. No one could teach like the Lord Jesus. One of his favorite methods was to tell a parable.

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Jesus told this parable that you might understand a very profound truth. In this parable there is one central truth that leaps off the pages. It is this — God loves sinners. God has a deep, deep love for sinners. This chapter makes it very clear that Jesus seeks after sinners and runs after sinners and welcomes sinners. This is the heart of God.

There is no more emotion-packed story for Jesus to have told than this account of the prodigal son. Every father and mother feels something of the emotion of this story. In Luke 15:11-24 there are five major movements in this parable.

The first major movement is a rebellious son in verses 11-13a. It begins, “A certain man had two sons …” The man represents God the Father. This man had two sons — an older son and a younger son. The younger son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes of verse 1. The older son represents the Pharisees and scribes of verse 2.

Verse 12 reads, “And the younger of them said to his father …” What he said was astonishing, troubling and dumbfounding. He said, “Father, give me the share of the inheritance that falls to me.” The son was saying, “I wish you were dead. I want to be out from under your roof and out from under your authority. I don’t want to be under your rules anymore.” This must have been a dagger plunged into the heart of the father. No one can hurt you more than those closest to you.

The son wanted to be rid of his father. He didn’t want to serve on the family farm. He wanted to be independent.

This is a picture of sin. Sin is a desire to go out on your own and to live on your own and to do your own thing. It is to live without God in your life.

The second major movement is a ruined life in verses 13b-16. The father gave the inheritance to his son. Verse 13 reads, “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” He wasted his life. He squandered the resources God gave him. There are many temptations for young fools like this who show in up in town with money burning in their pockets. He partied and chased women and lived recklessly.

Verse 14 says, “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in want.”

He ended up working as a servant on a farm. He found himself having to do for others what he wouldn’t do for his own father. The only job available was feeding pigs. He even ate the leftover part of the corn after the animals had stripped off the kernels. He gnawed and sucked on the cobs. He experienced extreme hunger.

My friend, this is a ruined life. Every rebellious son ends up in the pigpen like this. This is the end of the road for sin. Sin promises pleasure but delivers pain. Sin promises enjoyment but leads to enslavement. Sin promises life but always leads to death.

The third major movement is a repentant heart in verses 17-20. “But when he came to his sense …” (verse 17) He began to realize the self-destruction that sin was bringing to his life. He understood the absolute insanity of living life independent of God.

He said, “How stupid I’ve been. How foolish I’ve been to go my own way and to leave my father.” He said in verse 17, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” He saw his father in a new light. His father was good and generous and kind and caring. He resolved to return to his father and work as a hired man.

The fourth major movement is a receiving father in verse 20b. This is amazing and astonishing. “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (verse 20).

The heart of the father leaped out of his chest. He sprinted to his son. He jumped into his son’s arms. The father began to smother the son’s lips with kisses despite the mud and the dirt and the smell of the pigpen.

The point of this story is that God loves sinners. God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for us. God looks beyond the dirt. He looks beyond the pigpen of our lives. When we come to him in repentance and faith he embraces us and smothers us with his love. He won’t let go forever. God receives sinners.

The fifth major movement is a restored inheritance in verses 21-24. The son said to his father, “I have sinned against heaven and against you …” (verse 21) All sin is ultimately against God. The son had to confess this. No one receives the merit of salvation until they acknowledge, “God, I am a sinner. Lord Jesus, I am a sinner but I know that you died for me upon the cross. I receive you as my Lord and Savior.”

The son humbled himself in verse 21. The father interrupted his researched speech. The best robe was placed upon the son. The father said, “You’re not going to be down in the barn. You’re going to live with me in the house.”

The son was fully accepted. The ring was placed upon his finger. Slaves did not wear rings and jewelry. Only those in the family wore them. Sandals were placed upon his feet. Slaves went barefoot. He was given shoes. The fatted calf was killed. The father said, “Let’s celebrate. I’ve been waiting for this moment. My heart has never known joy like this because my son has come home.”

Won’t you return to God the Father today? He sent his son, Jesus the Messiah, to die in your place. We serve a great God who is kind and compassionate. He longs for you to come home.

Ethan Hansen (ethanchansen@gci.net) is pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.